3D Printing In Healthcare

Medicine has evolved from a series of discoveries and inventions. New advancements have enabled newer and more sophisticated techniques in the fields of medicine, surgery and dentistry. The healthcare sector has been an early adopter of 3D printing technology. The ability to create highly personalized 3D printed medical devices, patient specific surgical simulation, direct printing of individualized implants and customized instrumentation have caused a healthcare revolution. Did you know that 95% of today's hearing aids are 3D printed?

With the advent of 3D printing and the growth of processes and materials available, a range of healthcare solutions can be offered. These include 3D printed anatomical models, patient specific surgical guides, accurate pre-op models, perfect prosthetics, implants, medical devices like catheters, stents, syringes, retractors and surgical fasteners.

The technology is being used to directly manufacture both stock items, such as hip and knee implants as well as patient specific products such as personalized prosthetics, implants, orthotic insoles and hearing aids. While prototypes of anatomical parts help doctors to understand different surgical approaches it also helps them explain options and procedures to patients.

Validate Device Performance

Preclinical studies are essential in protecting patient safety, meeting regulatory requirements and evaluating a new device's performance. These devices can be 3D printed and clinically tested and can simulate blood flow, embed sensors and mimic a variety of tissue properties.

Customized Output

Perhaps the biggest advantage of 3D printing in the medical field is the ability to make customized equipment and solutions. The human anatomy is as different as every individual on the planet and a one solution for all method does not always work. 3D printing enables doctors to make prosthetics based on the patients characteristics, fabricating different types of tissues and creating different bone structures where even the thickness of the bone can be controlled.

Cost Effective

3D printing has made the production of prototypes in small quantities affordable. Smaller procedures can now be tested and developed as per the customers parameters. Tools and devices can be 3D printed and thoroughly tested before investing in mass manufacturing.

Accurate & Efficient

Developing a prototype or making a prosthetic or implant are time consuming tasks and usually have a long delivery time. Since 3D printing can read digital data, it can make the same prosthetics or implants fast and accurate to the decimal. These can also be replicable or scalable making the whole process efficient and highly productive.

Innovation

With the process having become easier and cheaper, more researchers and doctors can innovate and develop newer designs, further contributing to the advancement of the healthcare industry.

Bio Printing

Technology is also being developed where, by using bio-inks, proteins and other constituents a tissue or organ can be 3D printed layer by layer. Bioprinting is the next revolution in the healthcare sector and research is being conducted on 3D printing human tissue, organs, skin and bones!

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Our Happy Customers

Rahul D’Souza

It was a wonderful journey with Time to 3D. In the beginning, we had a lot of questions in our minds about 3D printing as this was a new term and concept and we were hearing about it for the first time. After approaching Time to 3D, our queries and questions were addressed by their team who explained the concept and procedure along with time required etc. From there, they coordinated closely with us every step of the way from obtaining inputs from us to getting the model designed to our satisfaction and finally ensuring delivery on time. Our colleagues at Hegde & Hegde Pharmaceutica LLP join us in expressing our gratitude to the entire team at Time to 3D, for the efforts, time invested and advice given.

H&H Pharmaceutica LLP